Ghana, through the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), has been appointed Vice Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for 2026 and Chair for 2027, marking a historic milestone for the country and the West African sub-region.

The announcement was made on 21 November 2025 during the closing session of the 2025 Kimberley Process Plenary held at the ALMAS Conference Centre in Dubai. The appointment followed two days of high-level deliberations, ministerial engagements, and consultations among governments, industry leaders, and civil society representatives.

This recognition makes Ghana the first West African country to assume both the Vice Chair and Chair roles of the global diamond certification mechanism.

Under the KP’s governance structure, the Chair and Vice Chair—selected by consensus—are responsible for guiding the implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) and coordinating the working groups, committees, and administrative bodies that support the KP’s operations.

Observers at the Plenary noted that a strong statement delivered by GoldBod CEO Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, Esq., during the Ministerial Session helped build momentum for Ghana’s candidacy, reinforcing confidence in the country’s leadership credentials.

The announcement received warm applause from delegates, signalling broad trust in Ghana’s capacity to steer the organisation. Participants also commended Ghana’s growing leadership in global mineral governance, citing advances in transparency, institutional reforms, and technical expertise in gold and diamond management.

Speaking in an interview, Mr. Gyamfi confirmed the historic appointment and said the confidence shown by the KP’s global membership places a renewed responsibility on Ghana to lead with excellence, transparency, and innovation. He emphasised that ongoing reforms in gold and diamond governance position the country to guide the Kimberley Process into its next phase of global impact.

About the Kimberley Process


Established in 2003 by the United Nations, the Kimberley Process is a multilateral certification scheme aimed at preventing “conflict diamonds” from entering the legitimate global supply chain. Its core objective is to ensure that diamond revenues do not fuel armed conflict, terrorism, or civil unrest.

The KP currently includes 86 participating countries, represented by governments, the World Diamond Council (industry), and the KP Civil Society Coalition.

Over the past 20 years, the scheme has recorded significant achievements, including:


  • Major reductions in the flow of illicit diamonds, especially from former conflict zones

  • A unified global certification system that enhances traceability and transparency

  • A collaborative platform for governments, industry, and civil society to address emerging risks in the diamond trade

Past Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Kimberley Process


  • 2003: Chair – South Africa; Vice Chair – Canada

  • 2004: Chair – Canada; Vice Chair – Russian Federation

  • 2005: Chair – Russian Federation; Vice Chair – Botswana

  • 2006: Chair – Botswana; Vice Chair – European Commission

  • 2007: Chair – European Commission; Vice Chair – India

  • 2008: Chair – India; Vice Chair – Namibia

  • 2009: Chair – Namibia; Vice Chair – Israel

  • 2010: Chair – Israel; Vice Chair – DRC

  • 2011: Chair – DRC; Vice Chair – United States

  • 2012: Chair – United States; Vice Chair – South Africa

  • 2013: Chair – South Africa; Vice Chair – China

  • 2014: Chair – China; Vice Chair – Angola

  • 2015: Chair – Angola; Vice Chair – United Arab Emirates

  • 2016: Chair – United Arab Emirates; Vice Chair – Australia

  • 2017: Chair – Australia; Vice Chair – European Union

  • 2018: Chair – European Union; Vice Chair – India

  • 2019: Chair – India; Vice Chair – Russian Federation

  • 2020: No chairmanship due to COVID-19

  • 2021: Chair – Russian Federation; Vice Chair – Botswana

  • 2022: Chair – Botswana; Vice Chair – Zimbabwe

  • 2023: Chair – Zimbabwe; Vice Chair – United Arab Emirates

  • 2024: Chair – United Arab Emirates; Vice Chair –

  • 2025: Chair – United Arab Emirates; Vice Chair – Thailand